Method of manufacturing mixed water gas and oil gas



c. 'w; ANDREWS Ei'AL' Sept. 1, 1931.

METHOD OF IANUFACTURINGMIXEDI wA'rEa GAS mm on. us

Filed Aug. 18, 1 5

'Illii'liiliiil'llililpln Patented Sept. 1, 1931 Y UNITED STATES PATENTorr cr.

'CHABLES W. ANDREWS, OF DULUTH, MINNESOTA, AND HERMAN A. BRASSERT, OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO H. ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOISA. BRASSERT 86 COMPANY, OF CHICAGO,

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING MIXED WATER GAS AND OIL GAS Application filedAugust 18, 1926. Serial No. 129,866.

This invention relates to a new and improved method of manufacturing gasand more particularly to a method of gasifying the heavy oils'and'tarsused in carbureting orenriching gases. I

The development of processes for the crack ing of oils for theproduction of gasoline is resulting in a constant increase in the priceof what have been commonly known as gas oils since it has now becomepossible to crack such oils into gasoline and the heavier residuum. Thisheavier residuum, while cheaper than gas oil for use in the manufactureof gas presents many difficulties in its use in the gas processes. Inusual methods of op eration the liquid hydrocarbons used in thecarburetion are sprayed into a carburetor which consists of a chamberfilled withhighly heated brick checker-work. These heavy reheavy oilsthe most eflicient process consists 1 in subjecting them to a gradualincrease in temperature. This results in a fractional distillation,components which volatilize ,at

g each, temperature passing oil and not being subjected to subsequenthigher temperature, and thus degradation of the fractions is prevented.l/Vhen the heavy oils are sprayed on hot brick work the oils aresubjected suddenly to high temperatures and the more volatile componentsare broken down by these excessive temperatures, resulting in a lowoutput of enriching volatiles and in'large deposit of solid carbon.Mechanical difiiculties make it impractical to reverse the flow throughthe carburetor and thus subject the heavy oil to gradually increasingtemperatures.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improvedmethod for the carburetion or enrichment of gas by the distillation ofheavy oils and tars.

It is a further object'to provide a method of this character in whichthe enriching hydrocarbons are not first subjected to the highesttemperatures.

It is also an object to provide such a method in which thenoir-volatilizable constituents of the tar or oil may be recovered ascoke.

It is an additional object to provide a method whereby such coke or.solid residue of the enriching material may be gasitied in the a fuelcharging opening 12 and with the air inlet passage 13 controlled byvalve 14 and the steam pipe 15 controlled by the valve 16, gntering theupper end of the generator. he lower portion of the generator isprovidediwith a grate 17 and with the air inlet passage 18 controlled bythe valve 19 and steam inlet pipe 20 controlled by valve 21, which enterthe generator below the grate.

The upper portion of the generator is connected with a secondarygenerator 22 by the passage/23 which enters the upper portion ofgenerator 22 tangentially, asshown in Figure 2. This passage iscontrolled by valve 24. and the valve seat is provided with the cleaningvent 25 discharging into the secondary generator 22. The gas generator22 is simil-ar in construction to the gas generator 11 and is providedat its upper end withthe fuel charging opening 26 and the oil pipe 2?controlled by the valve 28. The lower portion of the generator isprovided with the grate 29 and with the air inlet passage 30 controlledbyvalve 31 and steam pipe 32 controlled by valve 33. I

The lower portions of the gas generators L1 and 22 are connected bypassage 35 controlled by valve 35. The upper portion of the generator 22is connected by passage 36 with the upper end of the-superheater 37.This superheater is filled with the usual brick work 38. The secondaryair passage 39 leads into the passage 36 and is controlled by valve 40.The lower portion of the generator 22 is connected by passage 41controlled by valve 42 with the lower end of the superheater 37. I

Thelower portion ofsuperheater 37 also communicates with the upwardlyextending passage 43, the upper end of which is con trolled by the stackvalve 44. The passage 45 leads to the water seal 46 from which thepassage 47 leads to any suitable gas treating, washing, holding, orusing apparatus which has not been shown. If desired the Waste heatboiler 48 may be connected to the lower'portion of superheater 37 bypassage 49, the upper end of the boiler discharging through a passagecontrolled by stack valve 50 Generator 11 isprovidedwith the beam 52;whieh is located immediately above the grate 17 and is carried by thedrive ring 53 by which it is rotated. The drive ring 53 is driven bygear 54 and may be water cooled by means of water supplied throughconnection 55. The ash receiving ring 56 is carried by the drive ring 53and ash may be removed by means of the adjustable scoop 57. Thegenerator 22 is provided with a similar. beam 58, drive ring 59, gear60, wa-

ter connection 61, ash ring 62, and scoop 63. The lower portion of thegenerator 11 is shown provided with the water cooling chamber 64 and thegenerator 22- with the similar chamber 65.

The generator unit 11 is also provided with the pipe 66 controlled byvalve 67 so that oil or other enriching hydrocarbon may be sprayed intothis unit if desired.

Our improved method of operation may be carried out in the apparatusshown by operating the generater 11 in the usual manner as a water gasgenerator. The charge of fuel may be entirely coke or when starting up,coke may be charged in the lower portion and coal in the upper portion,the coal being coked by 'thepassage of the gases therethrough durin theoperation. A mixture of coal and 'co (e may be charged if foundpreferable, the type of charge. being varied depending upon thecharacter of the fuel available. i

The second generator is charged with coke"- when starting up-theapparatus. Fires are preferably started upon both grates and the fueland generators heated up. During this period, both generators may be upblasted by closed and the valve 24 opened. The air blast gases fromgenerator 11 pass through passage 23 into the upper portion of generator22 and the gases from both generators then pass up through passage 36into the upper" end of the super heater 37. Secondary air may beintroduced through passage 39,, valve 40 being opened, and thecombustion of the blast gases completed in the superheater, much oftheir heat being taken up by the checkerwork in the superheater. Theblast gases may be discharged through the stack valve 44 or additionalheat recovery may be had by means of the waste heat boiler.48, shown inFigure2.

When down blasting in the generator 11, the valve 24 will be closed andvalve 35 opened. The air is introduced through pipe 13, valx e 14 beingopened. Valve 42 may be partly opened so that only part ofthe air blastgases of generator 11 may be sent through the fuel mass in the generator22. The portion of the gases, sent through this second generator will bepassed down through the superheater while the gases passing valve 42will pass through the lower portion only of the superheaterf It will beunderstood that air may be introduced below generator 22 to complete thecombustion of the'blast gases from generator 11. In this'case thetemperatures may be too great for usual types of metal grates ingenerator 22 and special grates may be provided. It should be noted thatthe secondary generator 22 is never down blasted.

After the fuel masses in the two generators have reached the temperatureproper for operation, the air blasting is stopped. The

air valves are closed and valve 35 is closed and valve 24 is opened.Steam is introduced in the lower portion of generator 11, valve '21 inpipe 20 being opened. This steam passes up through grate 17 into'theincandescent carbonaceous residue in the lower portion of the generator11 and Water gasis generated. This hot watergas passes up through thefuel in the generator and it the upper portion of the charge consistspartly or wholly of coal, the heat of the gas serves to volatilize thevolatile content of the coal and carry such volatiles with it.

At the same time, heavy oils or tars at sprayed into the upper portionof the sec zones in the lower portion of the generator oils or tars arevolatilized in the most eflicient manner by being gradually passed intozones of increasing heat.

The water gas generated in unit 11 passes through passage 23 into theupperportion of generator 22 Where it is enriched by the volatilesliberated in this generator and the enriched gas goes through passage 36to the superheater 37, passing down through the highly heated brick work38, which has been previously heated by the air blast gases. Theenriching volatiles are largely fixed by the passage through thesuperheater and the enriched gas .is taken off through the water seal46.

In down runs, the steam is admitted through pipe 15 into the upperportion of generator 11, valve 16' being opened. Valve 24 is closedandvalve opened. Valve 42 may be adjusted as desired, all or part of thewater gas being sent up through generator 22 to carry out the enrichingvolatiles. That portion of the gas which serves to carry off thesevolatiles passes down through the superheater to fix them and'meets theremainder of the gas in the bottom of the superheater. Y 5

Suitable temperatures may be maintained in generator 22 if desired, bypassing. in some air through the fuel bed in unit 22 during the makingperiod ingenerator 11, thus making produce-r gas in unit 22, which gascarries with it the enriching volatiles and joins the water gasfromunitll in the upper portion of unit '22.

The amount of coke formed in generator 22 from the non-volatile contentof the enriching material: will vary largely with such the mass of fuelin this generator at the proper temperature or it may provide an excessof coke which can be withdrawn for use in charging generator 11 or forother use.

It will be noted that the apparatus shown may be'used to carry outwidely varied processes. If generator 11 is shut down for any reason,it. may be cut off from generator 22 'b valves 24 and 35. andfenerator22 ma be used for the production of Water gas in the usualmanner. This gas may be enriched by liquid hydrocarbon sprayed into thetop of the generator through pipe 27.

The use of the two generators may also be reversed and the generator 11used to liberate the enriching volatiles from heavy oils or tars, whilewater is made in generator 22. In this way an excess of coke formed fromthe solid residue of the liquid hydrocabron may be gasilied withoutremoval from the unit.

At times of heavy load both uni s may be used for the purpose of makingwater gas and enriching material may be sprayed in either generator orboth generators if desired; or one generator only may be used for makinggas and carbureting or enriching-it, butthe generator must be of theagitating type so as to automatically prevent clogging of the the bed bydeposition of carbon from. the oil and also prevent channeling and otherirregular lire conditions. i I

To that end the rotating beam operating above the grate shouldpreferably be as shown both upstroking and outstroking, serving toagitate the fuel masses and prevent the formation of clinkers. This typeof beam also prevents the formation of large solid masses of coke fromthe carbon residue of the enriching material and keeps the fuel massesbroken upso that gases may pass up through them substantially throughouttheir area.

Ashes may be discharged as desired by means of the adjustable scoops andthis discharge may be independent of the speed of rotation of the beam.

While we have illustrated one preferred apparatus for carryingout ourmethod and described certain ways of carrying out that method, it is tobe understood that the method may be carried out by other forms ofapparatus and in other ways; for instance, the up run water gas whilehot may be introduced at the bottom of the secondary generator, thusutilizing the sensible heat, and in combination with other types of gasproducers or with any primary source of gas which it is desired to mixwith or enrich with oil or gas. For instanbe, lean gases such as blastfurnace gas may be introduced at the bottom of an agitated bed of cokeon which oil is sprayed from the top, as for example through passage 30into generator 22, and We contemplate such changesand modifications ascome within the V spirit and scope of the appended claims.

lVhat is claimed is 1. The method of manufacture of mixed water gas andoil gas, which comprises utilizing a plurality of generators havingsolid fuel beds therein, agitating the fuel bed in one generator andmaking water gas therein, gasifying liquid hydrocarbons in a secondgenerator, making producer gas in said second generator, carrying outsaid gasified liquid hydrocarbons with said gas made in the secondgenerator, mixing the gases made in the first and second generators, andpassing the mixed gas directly through a superheater to 'fix thevolatiles thereini .2. A process of making mixed water gas and oil gas,which comprises air blasting solid fuel beds to incandescence in two gasgenerators. then generating water gas in one. generator by passing steamthrough theincandescent fuel bed and simultaneously agitating the fuelbed. passing the heated water gas up through the second incandescentfuel bed together with blast furnace gas and simultaneously agitatingthe second fuel bed, simultaneously admitting oil to the top of thesecond fuel bed and thereby vaporizing and gasifying the oil, passingthe mixed water gas and oil gas through aheated fixing chamher andthereby fixing entrained oil vapors. Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this13th day of'August, 1926,

CHARLES W. ANDREWS. HERMAN A. BRASSERT.

